Up till now the 15mg of pred seemed to be dealing with the pain and although still achy and really tired I thought I was getting off lightly compared to some of the horror stories on this forum. 5 weeks in and a cold which I would have been ill with for just a few days normally has settled on my chest and has obviously got some sort of steel band practicing in my head. I went out last night for a few hours to my oldest daughters for fireworks with my grandson and other daughter and did nothing except eat and go ooh and ahh and yet today some gremlins have moved in and taken over my body!! They are squatting and I am applying to get them evicted but these things move slowly!! I can not ever remember feeling so ill and I don’t do illness at the best of time so this is a very alien feeling. I am now in my bed at 6.30 trying to pursuade my usually very logical brain that we are not ill but it’s not playing ball!! This maybe because the steel band is still doing rehearsals in there?!!!! Is there anything I can take over the counter wise that will work on the steel band and gremlins or if I ask this at the chemist am I likely to see the men in white coats arrive? Seriously is there anything that can shift a cold, chesty cough and steel band practice I can get tonight?
Sorry about the whinge but have decided I can feel sorry for myself on at least one occasion.
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Yellowbluebell
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Whatever you usually take for headache, or maybe one of those potions like Neocitran which includes an effective remedy to ease sinus pressure? Peace, quiet, rest. 👩⚕️👨⚕️
Hope you feel better soon. You may be past this stage, but when I feel a cold coming on now I soak in a very warm bath with Epsom salts and a little tea tree oil (and lavender because it smells nice) for about fifteen minutes. That and Neocitran seem to help me at least get a good night's sleep, and shortens the duration of the cold. I can't take sudafed as such, makes me shaky, but the small dose in the cold potion really helps me.
I think I recall someone posting about increasing your dose when you are ill. Perhaps they called it “sick day dose”. The gist of the discussion was that you should probably increase your dose when you are ill. I can’t remember by how much......I think it was to double your dose if you are under 5 mg but to increase your dose by 5? if you are above 5 mg. And you only do this increase for a few days.
Perhaps someone else on this forum will have a better memory of this!
The topic is called “Gastric upset.....pred withdrawal” and the discussion was in early Sept. If you search on the topic name, in the PMR discussion group, it will come up. Scroll down a bit....Gaijin posted some info about the Sick Day Rules.
I would include the link but I’m not very good at doing that.
Yes, I finally get used to how to do something and they come out with a new version that changes everything. The younger generation thinks nothing of it but I sure do struggle.....and feel stupid too! 🤪
I am about replace mine in jan so I get to learn stuff all over again! I was fairly up to date with technology but since I left work my brain has turned to some sort of slime. It really annoys me too
Ha ha. So do I!! Sorry to hear you're not so well. You're entitled to feel sorry for yourself, having such a head cold at the best of times is miserable. I managed to shake off a cold about three weeks ago, but it seemed to make me ten times as worse than usual. It's because our immune systems are so low. But we can't wrap ourselves up in cotton wool either. I teach part time and come into contact with all sorts, it's a bit scary...
My 6 year old grandson seems to be our very own Petri dish of germs. I don’t usually get floored by colds but this is the first since taking the pred. I don’t work so am very lucky that I can occasionally curl up in a ball and tell the world to go forth but as we look after our grandson whilst his mum and dad are at work I can’t get away with trying to hibernate too often!! At least now I have a legitimate reason to avoid certain people using my immunity as an excuse!!
I know what you mean, our granddaughter is only 15
months old and is bound to get all sorts! But I love looking after her every Friday while my daughter works, even though I am usually knackered by the end of the day.!
Agreed on the germy grandchildren. My pmr originally began after catching something awful from my beloved & sharing 3yr old granddaughter! Coincidence? And in the 4 yrs since, I have had 4 flares - each of them preceded by a cold/flu. So I think the ‘sick day’ extra dose of pred is a great idea. I will remember it next time I get sick. Meanwhile, get well soon 😊
During his time at nursery my poor grandson caught every bug going and then proceeded to share it amongst the family. Now he’s at school he’s not quite as bad but he usually gets something at the end of term when he’s tired and then shares it! Love him dearly but often feel like spraying him at the door when he comes here.
I recognise all of that! Paracetamol and the like ought to help and plenty of fluids. Just surrender Yellowbluebell. You are poorly and need to be right for Christmas.
Thanks. Taken some pain killers and at least the steel band has left now. Colds don’t usually floor me but this one went straight to the chest. Really appreciate the advicex
I had bronchitis about 5 months into my PMR. First time ever. My rheumy didn't encourage me to go up, but neither did I taper. It took a full four weeks, like the books said, but no antibiotics. FWIW.
Get Well Soon Yellowbluebell 🌺 Going to bed early is a good plan, paracetamol isn’t a bad idea & lots of fluids.
November is a tough month for all of us, so take care.
Hot honey and fresh lemon. a measure of cough medicine in it if you need it. The cough meds seem to work better and it tastes OK too. In boiling water. Hope you feel better soon. I have a warm oat bag to loosen the sinus in my head. Looks odd but who cares lol.
My father has a wonderful cure, lemon, whisky, drambuie and blackcurrent juice with hot water. We have discovered you can skip the hot water by putting it in the microwave. I think it is a good alternative for the lovers of alcohol amongst us!! You don’t even care if you have got a cold or anything else after taking that. I do like using menthol crystals though.
Lol I went to the chemist a couple of years ago for menthol crystals. Asked for crystal meths. Ha ha ha blame the foggy brain. Sharp intake of breath and laughter as the chemist assistant said Do you mean menthol crystals.
Don't forget to steam. Helps you breathe easier, good for chest, sinus and ears. Got my cup with detachable mask from sainsburys and menthol crystals. Never without mine.
I found my menthol crystals thus morning and just stuck my nose in little tub but will get bowl out later and do a good steam session. They are really effective and I have used them multiple times before but I seem to have lost the ability to think logically and remember things I have done before. If this is after just 5 weeks on pred I could be stark raving bonkers by the end!!
I hate whinging but sometimes you just can’t help it! So many on this forum seem to have it so bad along with other ailments that it makes my moaning seem pathetic but what with the steel band and gremlins I just lost it!!
I had my first cold while having PMR about a month ago. For me it was a blessing of sorts as all of my PMR symptoms (occasional sore shoulders/knees and stiffness), disappeared!! Yep. I was surprised, but kept taking my usual pred dose as I figured my immune system was now busy attacking the cold virus and not my major joints. So basically I traded symptoms for about 2 weeks, and as my cold got better, the PMR symptoms gradually returned.
Hot, steamy showers and over the counter cold medications helped, but I noted it hung on longer than I usually experience. Others have made some suggestions as well. Wishing you a speedy recovery so you can head to a tropical island to hear a real steel drum band.
Fortunately the steel band left after their rehearsal but still got the squatter gremlins so intending to dose myself so much even they might leave before the end of the day. Early night and some sudafed and then later on had co-codamol and things are definitely better. Thanks for the advice. X
A untreated cold lasts a week, and a treated cold lasts 7 days.....so the saying goes. Treating is only alleviating the symptoms( bit like Pred really) nothing cures a cold. My favourite treatment is early bed with hot milk with whiskey in it, paracetamol, and a Vicks rub on the chest.
I feel for you. I have just got over the worst chest infection, I can remember. Not helped by being asthmatic and COPD. It took a month. I was in bed 5 days, but, living alone, you 'gotta get up'.I had a home visit as I couldn't get to the surgery. Allergic to the anti-bi, crash-course 40mg Pred for 5 days. Got worse. Went to DR, another 5 day course 40mg Pred. Can't say I felt better, cos it took ages before I DID feel well. My concentration level seemed very poor, and 1 night I scalded myself with boiling black coffee, down both thighs. Racked brain as to what to do. Tried cold water, then Vaseline, and then rang 111. New skin growing now.
I don't believe in cough mixture. I swear by good ole Vicks. I have a nebuliser.I don't know if we are allowed to mention names, but for the 24/7 cough, I took, prescribed, Carbocisteine.Sorry if this depresses you.
Yes very true but some chest infections are not viral. Best to be checked by doctor. I have asthma and pmr and always have to have antibiotics. Ended up in hospital needing nebuliser and oxygen at least 3 times. Just got over yet another germy episode 😟
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